Fri Feb 20 2009, written and credited by Travel Trade Staff
Holland America Line is offering an unprecedented number of Panama Canal sailings in 2009, offering 45 total cruises on nine different ships departing from five separate ports, and ranging in length from 10 to 28 days. Guests can experience daylight transits of the Panama Canal and itineraries that feature diverse ports of call.”We’ve increased our Panama Canal capacity significantly this year to make 2009 a very exciting season, especially with full transit cruises through the winter season,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “While the roundtrip Florida canal experiences have been very popular, our guests have been asking for more Panama Canal cruises between the east and west coasts throughout the winter season. So now, there are canal cruises to suit everyone’s tastes for season, length and ports of call.”
Among the offerings are ten 14-day Panama Canal cruises on the Statendam between Ft. Lauderdale and San Diego that feature different ports of call in each direction, with only one port in common. The sailings, from February into April and again in October and November, can be combined as back-to-back cruises for a 28-day roundtrip Collectors’ voyage. Sample ports of call include an overnight stay in Fuerte Amador (Panama City), Panama; Puerto Chiapas (gateway to the Pacific side of the Mayan world), Mexico; Cartagena, Colombia; Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and Aruba.
In addition to the Statendam full canal sailings, the line will include another eight departures through May and September through November - from five convenient homeports: Fort Lauderdale, San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver.
Among the port highlights on full Panama Canal transits are Santa Cruz Hualtulo, Mexico; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala (a UNESCO World Heritage tour site); and a maiden call to Dos Bocas, Mexico.
HAL also will offer a series of 10-day roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Sunfarer cruises aboard the Zuiderdam. These cruises sail through the Gatun Locks and offer scenic cruising in Gatun Lake. They also feature less common Caribbean ports of call and include Holland America Line’s private island Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.
For a more in-depth Panama Canal cruise experience, Amsterdam will depart roundtrip from Los Angeles on a 21-day Pan-American voyage departing December 2 that explores Mexico and Central America and spends two days in the Panama Canal. Sample ports: Cabo San Lucas and Acapulco, Mexico; Gatun Lake, Panama; Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica; and Corinto, Nicaragua.